Our Adventure of the Seas Excursions: St. Croix, St. Maarten, San Juan & Nassau

One of the reasons we chose this Adventure of the Seas sailing was the itinerary itself. Brandon and I visited both St. Maarten and San Juan on our very first cruise together, and we wanted our kids to experience those destinations as well. We had never visited St. Croix, and Nassau gave us the opportunity to try Royal Caribbean's new Royal Beach Club Paradise Island.

With four ports and four sea days, the itinerary offered a nice balance between exploration and relaxation. Here's how we spent our time in each destination.

St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

Our first stop was St. Croix, and because it was completely new for our family, we decided to keep things simple.

After leaving the ship, we grabbed a taxi to Rainbow Beach. A couple months before our sailing, I rented chairs and umbrellas from West End Water Sports online. The rental area sits next to Rhythms at Rainbow Beach, giving visitors convenient access to food, drinks, and facilities.

The beach itself was exactly what we were looking for: beautiful water, a relaxed atmosphere, and an easy day without a complicated schedule. The sand was soft and the water was a perfect crystal blue. The loungers and umbrellas we rented were in good shape, and the staff set them up for us right in front of the water when we arrived.

Sometimes the best port days aren't packed with excursions. Sometimes they're simply about finding a comfortable chair, listening to the waves, and enjoying a Caribbean beach.

St. Maarten

For Brandon and me, St. Maarten was the most nostalgic stop of the cruise.

On our first cruise together back in 2010, we booked the America's Cup 12 Metre Yacht Race excursion and had an incredible experience. When we saw it was still available all these years later, we knew we wanted to share it with the kids.

The excursion group was divided into two teams and assigned a boat that actually sailed in the America’s Cup race. Once onboard the monohull boat, we were assigned jobs. It really takes the whole team working in unison under the captain’s direction to move the sail from one side of the boat to the other. Once the race starts, the boats tacks and jibes around a course in the harbor.

One surprise? Our captain from that first sailing was still with the company, and we had the opportunity to sail with him again.

Unfortunately, the weather didn't fully cooperate. The seas were rougher than expected, and our daughter ended up getting seasick during the excursion. Thankfully, she recovered almost immediately once we returned to shore. She said she still had fun, and would try it again as long as she takes some Dramamine first.

Even with the rocky conditions, it was special to revisit an experience that played a role in some of our early travel memories together.

The first time we did this excursion in 2010, we were able to purchase a photo taken from another boat that followed us just before the race began. They did not offer photos this time around, but there is a small shop where you can buy shirts and other America’s Cup souvenirs.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan was our third stop and one of the ports I was most excited to revisit.

I had one mission for the morning: introduce the kids to mallorca, Puerto Rico's famous sweet bread. After searching Google reviews, we settled on Cafeteria Mallorca, a small local restaurant in Old San Juan.

The restaurant was packed, and we ended up sharing a table with a couple from Ohio who were celebrating their first wedding anniversary. Service was definitely on island time, but the breakfast was worth the wait. In fact, our daughter later declared she would happily return to Puerto Rico just for another breakfast sandwich.

After breakfast, we made the walk to Castillo San Felipe del Morro. Even if you've visited before, El Morro is worth revisiting. The views over the Atlantic are stunning, and it's one of those places that helps bring the island's history to life.

For families visiting San Juan on a cruise, exploring Old San Juan on your own is easy, affordable, and one of the most rewarding ways to spend the day.

Nassau, Bahamas

Our final port brought us to Nassau and Royal Caribbean's new Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, where our son said this was his favorite excursion not just of this trip, but of all our cruises.

We were fortunate to be the only Royal Caribbean ship in port that day, which meant the beach club never felt crowded. With only a few hundred guests visiting, it almost felt like we had the place to ourselves.

We made the Chill Pool our home base for the day, with the beach just a short walk away whenever we wanted to switch scenery.

The food and service were both excellent. Our family's favorites included the Island Crab Sandwich and Fried Cheese Bites. We just wish the cheese bites came with marinara in addition to ranch dressing. The fries were surprisingly tasty too, and we kept going back for more. The Lobster BLT Wrap, however, didn't quite live up to the hype.

One thing I would consider before booking this experience is how many ships are expected in port. Our experience was fantastic because the venue felt uncrowded. If multiple ships were scheduled to visit on the same day, the atmosphere would likely be very different. Also, this excursion is not cheap, but if you keep an eye out for sales, it is comparable to other beach clubs in the area.

Our Favorite Port Experiences

Looking back, what stands out most isn't necessarily the attractions themselves.

It's sharing breakfast with strangers celebrating their anniversary in Puerto Rico. It's introducing our kids to destinations that were meaningful to Brandon and me years ago. It's finding a quiet beach in St. Croix and spending the afternoon with nowhere to be.

The ports were wonderful, but they also reminded me of something I often tell clients: some of the best travel memories happen in the spaces between the planned activities.

This itinerary delivered a little bit of everything, history, beaches, adventure, and relaxation, and that's exactly what made it memorable.